Filmmakers’ party a time of gratitude

Sunday

Mar 1, 2009 at 12:01 AMMar 1, 2009 at 5:00 AM

Janese Heavin

The True/False Film Fest is putting another notch in the belt for Columbia’s bid to distinguish itself.

The event is one of the most unique and acclaimed documentary film attractions in the country, filmmakers testify. Just how popular the fest has become was on display at Sycamore last night, where directors and producers enjoyed the Filmmakers Fete.

“We were just talking about how great the audiences are,” Kimberly Reed, director of “Prodigal Sons,” said, standing next to fellow filmmakers. “Columbia is really lucky to have this festival.”

The sense of community and intimacy of the venues are what make the event great, Reed said. And festival-goers here have a true understanding and love of documentary films, said Michael Palmieri, director of “October Country.”

Despite national recognition, the True/False Film Fest is only in its sixth year: Paul Sturtz and David Wilson dreamed up the event in 2003 as a way to let locals celebrate the growing popularity of documentary films.

“I have to say I’m pretty flabbergasted with how quickly the fest has developed,” Sturtz said. “We wouldn’t have predicted a Midwestern festival would have this kind of turnout, but now we think that’s the best element.”

Reed agreed. Though her film deals with subjects considered taboo in some small towns — transgendered identity and homosexuality — the audience here gave it two standing ovations.

There’s “some pretty wild stuff that happened” in “Prodigal Sons,” Reed said. “I wondered how it would fly in a small town. But I learned that people are people, and in the end they have more important things to worry about.”

Filmmakers appreciate True/False because the focus is on the films, not necessarily on trying to market them, Sturtz said. “It’s kind of like summer camp for them,” he said. “At other festivals, there’s more pressure to make money. They come to Columbia and take a big breath.”

Still, participating here has advantages. Palmieri hopes debuting his documentary at True/False will lead to showings across the country. “This event is really well-respected,” he said. “This is the first time ‘October Country’ has shown anywhere, and I think it will catapult it into the larger festival circuit.”